Shea Lacey playing against Roma
Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP via Getty Images
Shea Lacey came off the bench against Roma in the Champions League and helped Manchester United complete a stunning comeback win.
There was no shortage of drama at Old Trafford on Tuesday night. Roma held a two-goal lead after 18 minutes, but Manchester United achieved a 3-2 win after scoring three goals in the second half.
Bruno Fernandes pulled one back to make it 2-1 from the penalty spot, before Matheus Cunha completed a brace in the space of 10 minutes towards the end of the match. Michael Carrick also deserves credit for making changes from the bench that helped inspire a famous Champions League comeback.
The two standout substitutions saw Youri Tielemans replace an injured Carlos Baleba in the 51st minute, as well as Shea Lacey, who came on for Amad Diallo with 15 minutes left on the clock. Now, the head coach has an extra selection headache ahead of the next game against Aston Villa.
Man Utd raise Shea Lacey question ahead of Aston Villa clash
United’s last win before Tuesday night came on the 10th of September, beating FK Sabah 4-0, so it was required if the team is to get back on track this season. The Reds need to back it up against Villa in the Premier League on Sunday.
After what was a game of two halves, with United eventually coming out on top, they found a way to win the match by overcoming a two-goal deficit. The players who contributed positively may give Carrick a selection headache this weekend.
For instance, United fans via TalkingPoints are already calling for Lacey to start against Villa. That would likely see Amad Diallo dropped to the bench and deservedly so, as he’d managed just one assist in seven matches (448 minutes). In comparison, Lacey has played six games (125 minutes), managing one goal and one assist in as many appearances.
One supporter argues Lacey did more in 15 minutes than Amad has in the past 18 months, while others stress that Lacey deserves a start against Villa. This isn’t just praise for the youngster. It’s evidence of a growing appetite among fans for a change in the attacking pecking order.
Lacey’s first assist of the season led to Cunha’s winner against Roma, so there is a feeling that he has something to offer at a time when Amad isn’t in form. However, the talented academy graduate has yet to start a game in the Premier League under Carrick, but some United fans believe the team is right.
So far, Lacey’s notable output has come in brief substitute appearances, whereas Amad has been starting games since returning from an injury that kept him out of action at the start of the 2026/27 campaign. The win over Roma was Lacey’s third outing since scoring against Brighton in the Carabao Cup.
It is perhaps telling that Carrick singled out Lacey for his substitute cameo, as well as Tielemans. Those two players could easily raise an argument about starting against Villa, especially with the Belgian international likely to return to the line-up in midfield following Baleba’s injury.
This essentially means Amad needs to pull up his socks. Otherwise, Lacey will be breathing down his neck for a place on the team – if he isn’t already. It’s a costly price to pay for underwhelming form.